British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has agreed to stand down next month to make way for Andy Burnham. Nevertheless, his government is publishing the Defence Investment Plan (Dip) this Tuesday – a project originally due in the autumn but now brought forward to be presented before next week’s NATO summit in Turkey.
The plan aims to raise defence spending to 2.68% of GDP by the end of the decade. The government is thus responding to the threats identified in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) published over a year ago. The Dip was originally announced for the autumn but was delayed several times.
Resignation and Criticism
The plan does not come without political costs: former Defence Secretary John Healey resigned earlier this month because he demanded an increase in defence spending to 3% of GDP by 2030. He considered the proposed rise to 2.68% insufficient.
Background and Outlook
The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) analysed the United Kingdom’s security challenges more than a year ago. The Dip was meant to provide the financial resources to meet those challenges. The delay of the plan had already caused discontent in the defence industry and among the armed forces. Critics accuse the government of leaving the troops with inadequate funding, while defence experts warn of the consequences for operational readiness.
The final decision on the level of funding will be made at the NATO summit in Turkey and in subsequent budget negotiations.
Source: www.theguardian.com
